FROM JAPAN TO SOUTH AFRICA: TWO WOMEN, ONE MISSION TO ADVANCE DISABILITY INCLUSION

By Morapedi Sibeko

• The long-term partnership between the Department of Social Development and the Japan International Cooperation Agency is actively changing the lives of South African’s disabilities.
• Two advisors from Japan have been seconded to the department to help strengthen respite care services in the country and mutually share experiences with their South African partners.
• Like their South African counterparts, the two advisors believe people with disabilities should always be at the centre of decisions affecting their lives.

Every partnership has the potential to change lives. The partnership between the Department of Social Development and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is doing just that, bringing together expertise, shared learning and a common commitment to improving the lives of people with disabilities and their families.

The latest chapter in this longstanding collaboration welcomes two JICA advisors, Ayaka Shirai and Azusa Goto, whose personal journeys and professional experience will support the department’s work to strengthen respite care services for children with disabilities and their families across South Africa.

Shirai and Goto recently joined the Department of Social Development as part of the project for the expansion of respite care services to families of, and children with, disabilities.

Their assignment goes beyond sharing technical expertise, working alongside government, organisations of people with disabilities, communities and families to develop practical, sustainable respite care services that improve lives.

Although their professional journeys have taken them across different countries and disciplines, both women are driven by the same belief that disability inclusion begins by listening to people with disabilities and ensuring that they are active participants in decisions that affect their lives.

A journey shaped by personal experiences

Each has a story to tell. For Shirai, disability inclusion is deeply personal. Growing up with an older brother with an intellectual disability exposed her to the prejudice and discrimination that many people with disabilities continue to face.

“From an early age, I felt uncomfortable with the prejudice and discrimination directed towards my brother by society,” she recalls.

A childhood book about Mother Teresa further shaped her understanding that many people across the world experience hardship and exclusion. These experiences inspired her to pursue a career dedicated to building societies where the dignity of every person is respected, regardless of disability or place of birth.

Goto’s journey began in the classroom. During her teaching practice, she met children with intellectual disabilities whose talents, determination, and joy left a lasting impression. “I was deeply moved by their shining talents and their smiles,” she says.

After becoming a special needs teacher, her perspective broadened while serving as a JICA volunteer in Mongolia. She encountered children with disabilities who were unable to attend school or receive the support they needed, an experience that strengthened her commitment to advancing inclusive education through international cooperation.

Bringing global experience to South Africa

Both advisors bring a wealth of international experience to the department. Shirai holds a master’s degree in socio-cultural studies from the University of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo. Her research examined the challenges experienced by people with severe disabilities living in rural Nepal. She has spent the past five years at JICA supporting disability inclusion and social development initiatives, building on earlier experience as a JICA volunteer in Nepal.

Goto’s career combines education, disability inclusion and international development. A graduate of the Kunitachi College of Music, she spent almost a decade teaching children with intellectual and physical disabilities before obtaining a master’s degree in special educational needs and inclusive education from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. Her professional experience includes assignments with UNICEF Kazakhstan and JICA Headquarters in Japan.

Their diverse backgrounds bring valuable perspectives to the department’s ongoing efforts to strengthen services for children with disabilities and their families.

Building partnerships through mutual learning

One message emerges constantly during conversations with the two advisors. Their role is not to introduce readymade solutions but to learn alongside South African partners.

Shirai speaks with admiration about South Africa’s rights-based approach to disability inclusion. “I am very pleased to have the opportunity to work alongside Department of Social Development officials and other professionals who have many years of experience and expertise in the disability sector. I look forward to learning from their knowledge, experience and commitment.”

She believes one of the greatest strengths of the long-standing partnership between the department and JICA is the opportunity for mutual learning.

“The Department of Social Development and JICA have a history of cooperation spanning more than a decade. Looking ahead, I hope that we will continue to learn from each other’s knowledge and experience and work together to address shared challenges”, said Shirai.

Knowledge sharing has already become a cornerstone of this partnership through JICA’s knowledge co-creation programme, which has enabled South African government officials, people with disabilities and other stakeholders to exchange experiences with their counterparts in Japan.

The advisors will play complementary roles in expanding respite care services in South Africa.

Shirai will work with the department and other stakeholders to develop a sustainable respite care model that enables children with disabilities and their families to live with dignity within their communities. Her long-term vision is for the model to become fully integrated into South Africa’s social development system.

Goto will focus on strengthening the people who make respite care possible. Her work includes training caregivers, empowering children with disabilities and their families, and supporting awareness-raising activities so that more families can access respite care services.

She emphasises that meaningful support cannot be achieved by one sector alone. “Collaboration between the education and health sectors is key. Children with disabilities and their families require coordinated support, and we need to work together to develop sustainable services and caregiver training.”

Listening before leading

Despite their different professional journeys, both advisors share a common philosophy.

Disability inclusion begins by listening. Shirai believes that people with disabilities should always be at the centre of decisions affecting their lives. “The phrase ‘nothing about us without us’ captures this principle very clearly. Disability inclusion must be led by persons with disabilities themselves, with their voices, experiences and choices at the centre.”

Goto echoes the sentiment. “We would not discuss women’s issues without taking women’s views into account. In the same way, we must always be conscious of listening to the views of persons with disabilities themselves.”

Their commitment aligns closely with the department’s vision of promoting participation, dignity and inclusion through partnerships with people with disabilities and their representative organisations.

The partnership between the department and JICA represents more than technical cooperation. It reflects a shared commitment to learning, collaboration and improving the lives of people with disabilities.

The project aims to develop practical solutions that respond to the realities faced by families while ensuring that their voices remain central throughout the process.

Shirai captures the spirit of the partnership best: “In the context of respite care services, we hope to develop a project in which children with disabilities and their families are not simply beneficiaries, but central actors who actively contribute to shaping the services and support that affect their lives.”

As the Department of Social Development and JICA continue working together, this partnership stands as a reminder that lasting disability inclusion is built through shared knowledge, mutual respect, and the belief that every person deserves the opportunity to participate fully in society.